A Bolt of White Cloth
by FireChestnut
Summary: Slight OoO, Slight AU: When an Italian model leaves Walter with no measurements, Rorschach asks Daniel for help, and must compromise his identity. RorsxDD
1. It's a thankless job

This is a story that I have had in my head for quite a while, and I got the idea from a friend.

This is intended to be a long story, but this particular chapter is short, like a prologue I guess. Walter is still a tailor, but is partners with Daniel.

PLEASE REVIEW. IF YOU READ IT, REVIEW IT!!

THANKS!

---------

The woman's venetian accent was an oddity in the small tailoring shop.

"Yes, I need this completed by next month." Walter grimaced slightly as she handed him a rough sketch, heavily scented with expensive perfume; the smell of a wealthy whore. He watched with raised eyebrows as she threw a few bills on the counter.

"A down payment." And with that, she was gone, her perfume still in the air as the door slammed shut. Walter sighed as he looked at the sketch. It was neat and drawn with the hands of a skilled artist. The lines were rough and drawn in black conte, adding to the effect of the black ink-spots that were scattered about the dress. His eyes lingered over to the large bolt of white cloth that he had received from Doctor Manhattan. He kneeled down beside the fabric and ran his hand down the side, watching in awe as the ink spots followed the movement of his warm hand.

"Kovacs, 'youse is closin' down shop tonight." Walter stood up abruptly and turned to face his superior, and nodded. He watched in faint distaste as the man left the shop, leaving Walter alone.

As usual he sat down on his stool in the far corner, and lit the few stray candles lining his work space. He hated artificial light, it hurt his eyes. He grabbed a few pins and stuck them into his mouth, admiring the odd taste they had. The fabric was surprisingly easy to cut. The shears ran through the fabric like butter; there were no rough edges. Walter was working away, until something dawned on him. He walked back over to the sketch, and looked down to the drawing.

There were no measurements on the paper. He checked the back. Still no measurements.

"Stupid liberal whore." He muttered under his breath.

----------

Daniel shot of out bed with alarming speed. Someone was in the downstairs kitchen. He grabbed his glasses and pushed them onto his nose firmly, not caring that the left side was slipping off his face. He walked downstairs slowly, biting his lower lip as one of the stairs squeaked. He could make out a darkened shadow beside the fridge, and Daniel instantly knew who it was once he saw the outline of the fedora.

"Rorschach." He said.

"Hurm. Hello, Daniel." The shadow replied. Daniel flicked on the light and sat down, one finger vigorously rubbed at his sore eyelids.

"What brings you here," he looked at the kitchen clock "at 5:32?"

"Finished rounds. Came here for food." Rorschach replied in between mouthfuls of beans. Daniel knew there was something on his partners mind.

"Are you sure that's all you came here for?" Rorschach's head popped up.

"Not sure what that's supposed to mean." He replied, the inkblots on his mask furiously collecting at his cheeks. Daniel could tell that last comment had made his partner tense.

"Sorry if that made you...uncomfortable,' he began "what I mean is, you seem like you have something on your mind." Rorschach put the can down, and licked the remnants from the spoon in his hand.

"Other job, some one didn't leave me measurements." He said. Daniel nodded.

"Can you reach her?" He asked, genuinely interested in what Rorschach's other life was like.

"No, woman is in Rome now," he stuffed the spoon back in his mouth "is a model."

"Why don't use one of the mannequins?"

"All in storage."

"What about Laurie? I'm sure she wouldn't mind being a model for you." Rorschach turned his head away and pulled his mask back over his lips. Daniel knew that was the wrong thing to say.

"Sorry...."

There were a few minutes of awkward silence between the pair, until Daniel brought something up.

"Do you have a photo of her?" He asked. Rorschach looked to him and handed him a folded up shoe add. "Hmm, she looks a lot like you."

"What?"

"Well, same body type. Narrow hips, doesn't really have a bust line." Daniel handed his partner back the photo.

"I think you would make an excellent model."

-----

REVIEW PLEASE!


	2. Candlelight

AN: I am terribly sorry, but I forgot to mention that this fic is AU. The Italian woman came after Blaire Roche, so hopefully any confusion is gone :3 But yes, I have the faint idea that Rorschach mumbled his tailoring job to Daniel under unusual circumstances.

----

Rorschach almost choked on the beans in his mouth at Daniel's comment.

_Yes, I could finish the dress then and get my rent._

_**NO. Only whores model themselves, only whores....**_

_But..._

Walter was beginning to annoy Rorschach, and he watched from the corner of his eye as Dreiberg watched in faint curiosity. He tensed as Daniel slid the magazine add back to him, folded neatly into a little square. Daniel was good with his hands; probably why Laurie left Jon.

_**Dirty! Dirty! **_

"I can heat those up for you." Daniel said warmly, the corners of his eyes crinkling from the sudden smile.

"Hurm."

Rorschach watched his partner grab a fresh can of beans from the pantry. He dumped the contents into a small sauce pan, and watched as the oozing mixture began to bubble.

"Here." He handed Rorschach the bowl, a spoon chiming pleasantly against the ceramic. Rorschach sniffed tentatively at the food, and then stuffed the spoon into his mouth. Why had he not added heat to them before?

"So...," Daniel said "when are we going to get those measurements?"

--------

The door to the tailoring shop slammed closed suddenly behind him, but he was not phased. The front of the store was small and cramped, a lone chair placed near a rotting plant seemed to be the only piece of furniture. The front desk looked old and weathered, the wood chipping and the varnish peeling away. The cash register was antique, perhaps taken from the trash. Rorschach opened the door near the back of the of the small room and walked inside. Daniel followed, astounded at the large space.

Bolts of various fabrics were piled in one corner, and they looked like they haven't been touched in a while. Daniel sniffed as the accumulated dust began to irritate his nostrils. Rorschach's small workspace was another story. He had a work table, a bench and a sewing machine. But Daniel could tell that Rorschach had added his own personal touch to the mixture. A few unlit candles were spread around, one placed firmly on top of the radio.

"Hey, you like jazz?" Daniel asked, looking at the radio.

"Yes." Came Rorschach's only reply. Daniel watched as Rorschach lit the candles. He disappeared for a few moments and returned with a small foot stool. Rorschach removed his coat and vest, leaving only his white wife beater on underneath and his pants. Daniel felt a little disappointed that he left his mask on. He stepped onto the stool, and held his arms out.

"Measuring tape is on table." Rorschach said suddenly. Daniel nodded and grabbed it.

"So...where do I measure?" Rorschach merely pointed to his chest first. Daniel walked up, and awkwardly wrapped the tape around his partner's pectorals, surprised at the smooth muscle beneath. He wrote down the measurement on a piece of paper that Rorschach had provided him.

"Add two inches." Rorschach said.

"What?"

"Bust." Daniel nodded his head and did as his partner instructed. Next his measured his waist, his hands exploring the strange flesh beneath them. Daniel fumbled with the pencil, his face flushed and his heart beating. He was glad that the room was dimly lit.

Next came the hips. He wrapped the tape around his partner's belt, and shook his head.

"You're going to have to take your pants off." Rorschach let out a throaty growl.

"No."

"Listen Rorschach, I'm not here to make you uncomfortable. I'm only trying to help, so the pants need to come off."

Rorschach awkwardly removed his belt, and let the fabric pool around his ankles. Thankfully he was wearing boxers. Daniel wrapped the tape around his partner's tiny, jutting hip and blushed furiously as his hands grazed the hard packed muscles. After writing down his partner's hip size, he got down on one knee. To Daniel's advantage, he had a nice view. He slid the tape around his ankle, and slowly slid it up around his calf, and around his thickly corded thigh. Daniel's face was a few inches away from Rorschach's gold mine. He had to lean in even closer to see the numbers, his nose almost grazing the delicate flesh that lay between his legs.

"Daniel..." Rorschach groaned miserably.

"Oh, sorry. It's hard to see the numbers in this light." He finally got a good reading, and quickly scooted away from the awkward situation. "I think that's it." Rorschach nodded and stepped off the stool. Daniel turned away as he began putting his clothes back on.

"Thank you, Daniel." He heard Rorschach say suddenly.

When Daniel finally stepped outside, Rorschach was gone. He walked back home, and kicked off his shoes. His loins were aching fiercely. He had never had homosexual feelings towards his own gender before, but Rorschach somehow weaved his way into Dan's libido. He didn't know what it was. Perhaps his voice, his physique, or the fact that he couldn't see his face. Daniel sighed and walked upstairs. He ran a hand through his hair and rubbed the bridge of his nose. And then his hands began to wander.

_No...I can't do it here. _

He knew his partner had a sudden interest to suddenly barge in uninvited; not that Daniel didn't mind, but he wouldn't hear the end of it if Rorschach walked in on him. Daniel heaved himself off of his bed and walked towards the bathroom.

"Too obvious..."

He walked down into the kitchen, smiling as the unfinished bowl of beans lay dormant on the kitchen table.

Archie's interior was cold, but Dan didn't mind. He liked the cool feeling against his bare skin. He let out a hiss as the cold leather of the seat pressed itself against the more delicate parts of his body. He began thinking of Laurie, and they way that she walked in her more than sluttish outfit. He frowned; she just wasn't doing the trick. He rolled his fingers over his cock as he thought of Rorschach fighting thugs and rapist, he pictured how his muscles must ripple like water under that trench coat. He was rock hard now, his member quivering in his hand. Daniel bucked and moaned as his mind wandered back to the tailoring shop; how he was inches away from Rorschach's own self indulgence. But he knew Rorschach would never do anything like that...would he?

Daniel came suddenly, the warm liquid dribbling down his thigh. He sighed as his less-than-satisfying orgasm died off. He put his clothes back on and walked back inside, looking back once more at Archie.

----

_**Whore, you let him look at you.**_

_I need the money._

_**Whoreson. **_

_Shut up! Just Shut up!_

Walter groaned as he tucked his face and trench coat away under the floorboards. Mrs. Shairp was hammering on his door like a wild animal.

"_Where is the rent?"_

Walter sauntered over to the door and opened it a crack. She was hysterical.

"Soon."

"What?" She squawked.

"A few days, I'll have it by then." And with that he slammed the door in her face. He heard her let out an exasperated sigh, and listened as her heavy footsteps left the proximity of his apartment. Walter was too tired to go back to his work and finish the dress, he needed rest.

_**How many will die tonight. No time for sleep.**_

_Go away. I'm too tired to listen to you. _

For once, Rorschach kept quiet, and Walter was grateful for that. He curled himself up against the wall, thinking of Daniel as his lids became heavy.

----

Well, thank you for reading and please leave a review!


End file.
